Jet-Set Dream Careers: 7 Top Jobs For Travel Enthusiasts

Everyone loves a good break from the everyday grind. But if travel is your passion, you don’t have to limit that interest to your yearly holidays. There are plenty of ideal careers for lovers of travel like you.

Here are our top seven jobs for travel enthusiasts.

Flight Attendant

Working as a flight attendant, you’ll travel to destinations near and far. Your main responsibilities will be focussed on passenger safety and comfort during flights. This role allows you to combine customer service with exploring different cities and cultures. You might also see this job referred to as cabin crew or a flight host or hostess.

  Qualifications

To work as a flight attendant in the UK, you’ll generally need at least 5 GCSEs. However, you can also:

• take an air cabin crew level 2 certificate or diploma
• study an air cabin crew module as part of a travel and tourism course
• enter a cabin crew advanced apprenticeship

In the US, you’ll need a high school diploma as a minimum.

Having customer service skills and multiple languages will always be to your advantage as a flight attendant.

  Salary Range

In the UK, a typical salary range for a flight attendant is £20,000 to £40,000. In the US, that salary range is $35,000 to $100,000.

And if the dream is to be a commercial pilot, read our Aerospace and Aviation career guide.

Travel Photographer

Capture the beauty of your travels through the lens of a camera. Travel photographers may work freelance or be employed by travel related businesses such as travel magazines or travel agents. They may also work for wider news and press outlets. Providing stock images of faraway vistas and cultures is another way that travel photographers earn a living.

  Qualifications

There are no set qualifications to work as a travel photographer in the UK or the US, other than photography experience and a strong portfolio of work.

  Salary Range

Working as an employed travel photographer in the UK, a typical salary range is £20,000 to £60,000. In the US, that salary range is $40,000 to $100,000.

Tour Guide

If you want to share your passion for your favourite places, including their history and culture, working as a tour guide could be ideal. Tour guides often work seasonally and develop a deep knowledge of their destinations. While some tour guides are self-employed, many work for travel companies, tourist boards, and visitor attractions.

  Qualifications

Working as a tour guide for a UK or US employer, either in those countries or abroad, generally requires a high school education or diploma as a minimum. In the UK, you can also take training courses accredited by the Institute of Tourist Guiding.
The main qualifier to working as a tour guide, however, is an in depth knowledge of the area and good people skills.

  Salary Range

To work as an employed tour guide in the UK, you can expect a typical salary range of £20,000 to £30,000. In the US, that range is $35,000 to $65,000.

Travel Writer

If you have good writing skills, combine them with your passion for travel and work as a travel writer. Travel writers may be freelance or employed by magazines, news outlets, and travel related businesses. Travel writers create captivating content about destinations, hotels, and holidays for blogs, magazines, and websites.

  Qualifications

While a relevant degree can be helpful, there are no set qualifications to work as a travel writer in the UK or the US. Key skills, however, include a passion for travel, and good writing and communication skills. A strong portfolio of travel writing is recommended.

  Salary Range

A typical salary range for an employed travel writer in the UK is £25,000 to £45,000. In the US, that salary range is $35,000 to $75,000.

Travel Agent

If you have great people skills, why not help clients to plan their dream holidays? As a travel agent, you’ll recommend destinations, and book flights, hotels, and tours. It could also lead to working as a holiday representative for part of the year.

  Qualifications

To work as a travel agent in the UK, you’ll need a high school education as a minimum. Qualifications that may also help include:

• a travel consultant level 3 advanced apprenticeship
• a relevant undergraduate degree, for instance, travel and tourism or marketing
• courses run by the Institute of Travel and Tourism or the Association of British Travel Agents

In the US, a high school diploma is the minimum qualification to work as a travel agent, but an associate or bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject is also helpful.

  Salary Range

To work as a travel agent in the UK, you can expect a typical salary range of £17,000 to £35,000. In the US, that range is $29,000 to $53,000.

Cruise Ship Worker

Working on a cruise ship, you’ll experience different ports and destinations, focus on passenger safety and comfort, and often have the opportunity to interact with passengers too. As a cruise ship worker, you might have a role in:

• entertainment: organising and hosting onboard activities, shows, and events for passengers
• hospitality and service: for instance, waiting staff, bartenders, housekeeping, and front desk personnel
• ship operations: handling ship maintenance, navigation, and safety

  Qualifications

The qualifications to work on a cruise ship depend on the job you’ll be doing, regardless of country or cruise ship line. You’ll generally need to be at least 18 years old, hold relevant and valid travel documents, and be able to pass a criminal background check.

  Salary Range

Due to the wide range of roles on a cruise ship, it’s difficult to say what a typical salary range will be.

Ski Instructor

If you love skiing and the mountains, why not become a ski instructor? You’ll teach others how to ski while enjoying the slopes yourself. While many ski instructor roles are seasonal, it is possible to work as an instructor all year round by moving between destinations or working in an indoor ski setting for part of the year.

  Qualifications

Beyond being a confident and proficient skier and having great people skills, you’ll generally need to pass a ski instructor course that is accepted in the country where you’ll be working.

  Salary Range

The salary range for ski instructor roles vary massively, depending on destination, employer, and the ski instructor qualifications you have.

Wrapping it up

If travel is your passion, there are plenty of satisfying careers that you can follow. Whether it’s helping people plan their holidays, caring for passengers on airplanes and cruise ships, or photographing and writing about dream destinations, there’s sure to be a travel job for you.